So a fork lift drops a skid of bricks in front of you and then a skid of natural stones. You’re asked to build a wall. Which would you pick?
Hmmm, well I guess if you were considering how long it would take or how easy it would be, you would pick the bricks. You would start with the first row, add the mortar, stagger them and add another row and another and in no time you would have a wall. Natural stones are in all shapes and sizes. You would most likely lay them all out on the ground, consider each one and then come up with a plan. Maybe the larger more uniform stones would be placed at the base and then the others would have to be fitted, determined by your hand and skill. This would take much longer and would be much more of a challenge.
We find bricks in the Bible at the story of the Tower of Babel.
They settled there and said to each other, ‘Let’s form bricks and bake them. Let’s build ourselves a city and a tower with its top in the sky. Let’s make a name for ourselves, for otherwise we’ll be scattered across the face of the earth.
Genesis 11:2-4
Bricks are also a key element with the children of Israel in Egypt. Both seem associated with the key phrase in Genesis 11 – Let’s make a name for ourselves, let’s build something that will be a monument to our greatness. Bricks are also associated with slavery.
God seems to love stones, natural and beautiful. In fact if you read in Exodus 20:25 or Deuteronomy 27:4-6 when God says “build me an altar” He not only wants natural stones, He gives instructions not to hew them or use iron tools on them. They are perfect the way they are! Maybe you’re perfect the way you are?
If you’re like me, you’ve found yourself in many brick and mortar churches throughout your lifetime. The leadership wants to build high and fast. It seems no matter how much the Pastor and the leadership try to hew you and cut you up, you just can’t fit into their wall. It becomes painful to become a brick in a wall that is elevating one person. After a while you get frustrated, maybe leave church all together, thinking there is something wrong with you. If you’ve ever struggled with this, let me assure you, you’re a stone. Each of us is created differently, we’re all different sizes and shapes, different colors and textures. It’s God’s plan to take each of us and examine us and fit us into his Holy Temple based on the Chief Cornerstone, Jesus Christ.
It’s so freeing to be part of a group of believers that is not determined to build something that is a monument to someone’s greatness. We are aware that each one is beautiful and different and we are allowing Christ to gently fit us together.